The present invention relates to yam dyeing apparatuses, and more particularly, to a polychromatic yarn dyeing apparatus wherein yams can be dyed polychromically through continuous and repetitive operations thereof.
In conventional yarn dyeing processes, yams, raw cottons or raw wools are at first dyed monochromically, and the dyed yams, cottons or wools are then combined with each other, thereby producing polychromatic yams, cottons or wools. Recently, a method of directly spraying dyestuff into each strand of yarns and a train of yam dyeing apparatus have been introduced to produce polychromatic yarns having a unique color.
However, the resulting color by the conventional process and apparatus has low vividness and clearness. In addition, the dye-spraying method has usually caused dye to be scattered in the air or colors to be overlapped, for which the products are of poor quality. In the dye-spraying method, the sprayed dye is likely to induce air pollution by being mixed with the air. In the dyeing apparatus train, its arrangement is complicated, thereby creating a difficulty in installation, requiring a large installation space, and increasing the cost of production.
Accordingly, to solve the problems as described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a polychronmatic yam dyeing apparatus wherein yams can be dyed continuously along the advancing direction of the yarns with a desired pattern while decreasing the difficulty in installation and minimizing the installation space.
To accomplish the above-described object of the invention, there is provided a polychromatic yarn dying apparatus, comprising an upper track portion having at least one pair of upper wheels disposed in parallel, an upper caterpillar unit rotatably travelling around the upper wheels and a plurality of upper dyeing members coupled with the upper caterpillar unit, a lower track portion having at least one pair of lower wheels disposed in parallel, a lower caterpillar unit rotatably travelling around the lower wheels at the same travelling speed as that of the upper caterpillar unit and having a travelling section parallel to a travelling section of the upper caterpillar unit, and a plurality of lower dyeing members coupled with the lower caterpillar unit and contacting the upper dyeing members, with a yarn being positioned therebetween and a plurality of dye supplying parts disposed sequentially along the travelling direction of the lower caterpillar unit, for supplying dyestuff of different colors respectively to the lower dyeing members.
Desirably, the polychromatic yarn dyeing apparatus further comprises an elevating unit for elevating the lower dyeing members toward the corresponding dye supplying parts so as to contact the lower dyeing members with the dyestuff in the respective dye supplying parts.
Effectively, the elevating unit comprises a lower dyeing member support for supporting each of the lower dying members, a plurality of press members provided inside a lower section of the lower caterpillar unit along the advancing direction of the lower caterpillar unit in correspondence to the respective dye supplying parts, a press roller protruding from each of the lower dyeing member for contacting the press members to press the lower dyeing members against the press members, and a spring disposed between each lower dyeing member support and each lower dyeing member, for elastically recovering the pressed lower dyeing member to the original state.
Preferably, the polychromatic yarn dyeing apparatus further comprises an oscillating unit for oscillating the upper dyeing members in the transverse direction relative to the advancing direction of the upper caterpillar unit.
Effectively, the oscillating unit comprises an upper dyeing member support for supporting the upper dyeing members, an oscillation guide part forming a passage of S-type inside a lower section of the upper caterpillar unit along the advancing direction of the upper caterpillar unit and a sliding part protruding from each upper dyeing.member and slidably guided by the oscillation guide part.
Effectively, each of the dye supplying parts comprises a dye reservoir for containing the dyestuff, a dye belt forming a closed loop and having a portion dipped in the dye reservoir to contact the dyestuff and an upper section contacting with the lower caterpillar unit, and a dye belt driving unit for driving the dye belt to be rotated in the opposite direction to the lower caterpillar unit.
Preferably, the polychromatic yarn dyeing apparatus further comprises a dye belt vibrating unit for vibrating the dye belt to the vertical direction relative to the advancing direction of the dye belt.
Effectively, the polychromatic yarn dyeing apparatus further comprises a dye controlling unit in contact with a portion of the dye belt ascending out of the dye reservoir for controlling the amount of dyestuff absorbed in the dye belt.
Preferably, the polychromatic yam dyeing apparatus further comprises an agitating unit for agitating the dyestuff contained within the dye reservoir